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One of the many benefits of bike commuting is finding those little gems a person encounters only by slowing down. Here’s one I discover while waiting at a traffic light.
Street Gratitude
06 Friday Dec 2013
Posted in Bike Life
Tag Archives: gratitude
Maine Begins The Year
30 Monday Sep 2013
Posted in With Friends
Tags
For me, a year has a few transition points: the harvest and cold-weather holidays, July 4th (my birthday), and annual Maine Vacation.
Going back around eight years, a group of friends, loosely connected via my alma mater, have gathered at a farm house on Worthley Pond. We cook for one another, play games, and challenge each other to accept our quirks and eccentricities for up to ten whole days in a sort of self-imposed group-isolation.
People say it’s good to take a vacation to recharge. Our Maine Vacation is more a reset. A shoring up and storing the clear pond-smell, sunsets, and quiet moments with my partner. I time-release these memories slowly throughout the hectic fall. ‘Till next summer.
Whole Heart 200
14 Wednesday Aug 2013
Posted in Bloggin Noggin, Writing Life
My internal writing critic, like most, is full of doom and gloom. It declares things like: you’ll never be a prodigious writer. Authors don’t make enough cash to live on. You don’t know what you’re talking about.
This kind of inner talk has a dangerous dampening effect on, say, novels, poems, plays. But blogs, and more specifically Whole Heart Local? Meh.
When my critic says scornfully, with unsurprising frequency: nobody reads your blog. They don’t care what you have to say.
I reply, currently: beh.
I read WHL. And love it! And so appreciate the opportunity to plan for, dream about, and write it, still, 200 posts later. And to celebrate, we’re hosting a giveaway, WHL and me.
Lauren Murphy, herbalist, strong-lady (rumor has it she can lift 600 lbs with her LEGS,) master cheese-maker (no kidding), and good friend, will be debuting her new herbal line Lala Earth this September. Through her enormous generosity, WHL is giving away loose-leaf tea with the theme of love. And if THAT weren’t enough, I plan to pair it with a small treat from one of JP’s wonderful, local businesses.
Lala Earth herbal tea: evidence of tastiness. Add sun and water. Kapow!
On to the giveaway. All you gotta do is leave a comment. That’s it! One comment, about any such subject as your heart desires. Or “hi!” That’s nice, too. The winner will be chosen by random on Wednesday, August 21.
Luck, friends.
Farewell, Cotton T-shirts
17 Wednesday Jul 2013
Posted in Green Life
Once upon a time, I learned a fine method for departing with items once cared for, but currently out-of-use: take a picture.
1st Boston Knit-out Festival I attended
After stockpiling a selection of T-shirts that I wore pretty much to-death, I decided to enlist some assistance and employ this method. The result? A virtual, visual library of memories spun from cotton and dye. I’m still the person I was, who purchased or received these shirts as gags or gifts or glimmers of who I was leaning towards being.
Worn during march on Washington for women’s reproductive rights
Job of old
I miss the opportunity to wear them, now that (most of) these old Ts have been converted to dust cloths and hankerchiefs. I don’t miss the burden of owning more than I can appreciate wearing.
Never wore this shirt because it bothered my eyes
In my experience, hemp doesn’t get as soft as proported
Designed by my gent, and then washed to death
35
05 Friday Jul 2013
Posted in Home, With Friends
It’s a pivotal age, I think, 35. For one, I can no longer click the radio buttons for 30-34 on demographic questionnaires. I’ve been bumped to 35-40. That’s kind of sad.
On the plus side, I’ve enjoyed my thirties -the feeling settled in my skin as my own quirky self, the way others appear to listen more closely when I speak from that space of knowledge which comes with experience- so more thirty, more delight, right?
I rarely engage in big shindigs just for myself, so this year, having friends over for a light brunch, strolling through one of Boston’s grand community gardens, dining at the funky-fine establishment of my favorite Boston-area baking/restaurant mavens, and catching sight of the Boston Fireworks in an unexpected local, felt perfect.
Internets and Imperfections
24 Friday May 2013
Posted in With Friends
For all that is said about how connectivity via the Internet can be a path to real-life loneliness, for as much as I love sliding open the narrow, wooden drawer that contains my letter writing supplies, in 1996 I was handed a gift: my first email address. They called it Eudora.
This is what happens if I pick up my camera and just snap.
Eudora was clunky and eventually I transitioned to a version of Hotmail that bears little resemblance to the app I use today on my iPod Touch. (ring, ring. 1996 is calling, it says: an i-WHAT?) (blip, bloop. hey, 2013 texted. It said: surrender your antiquated email client!)
Things happened. And things happened. I grew into a “full-fledged adult” and I rolled my eyes and said: what’s this you say about a face book? I’m not in college anymore. I don’t want to be found. No thanks.
Oops. Fuzzy.
And things happened some more. I carefully ignored then fell victim to numerous web-based communication forms. I hoed my new digital world with a plastic rake.
One day I glanced up and realized the sheer number of people with whom I would no longer have contact without the advent of curious computer languages, (with their funny “<” and “;”), that somehow keep me better informed of new babies, passed on grandmothers, and the hilarious antics cats get up to, than a telephone ever did.
So thank you Internets for round-about bringing our friend, professional photographer Kristy Rowe of Moodeous Photography, to our door, all the way from Denver, Colorado. We shot some awesome pictures in the real-life world, though statistically the three of us were more likely to be separate and lonesome in our homes, serenading our computer mice clickety-clack while bench-pressing bottles of Dr. Pepper.
Third time’s the charm . . . wait, my subject is obscured!
Also, thank you cats.
Morning Mind Modes
20 Monday May 2013
On my morning bike commute to work, I’ve noticed that my mind tends to operate in several modes. Usually: Morning Mind God of Destruction and Morning Mind Gratitude.
Morning Mind God of Destruction, as you can imagine, sounds something like this: Use your blinker! WHAT is WRONG with you? I can’t believe that other cyclist just did that -he’s definitely not long for this world. LMA buses are the worst. What am I doing with my life? The best thing about today will be when I can finally go back to bed. I will STARE you into submission! Hungry already.
Morning Mind Gratitude: Riding my bike through the woods every day, in a city, is magical. Hi. Hi! I love when drivers wave at me. It feels so satisfying to know what projects I’ll be tackling at work today. I wonder what’s for lunch. Should I stop at Whole Foods for some kombucha? I’m so lucky. I really should learn a blessing to direct at irate drivers so I can check that goal off my list. Hey, there’s that singing cyclist again!
What forms do your morning minds take?
Thank You, Whole Heart Community
01 Friday Feb 2013
Posted in Bloggin Noggin
In studying the art of blogging, I have a fuzzy memory of reading how important (and polite) it is to acknowledge and thank visitors and blog-subscribers. I thought: oh, yes, of course! Then promptly forgot. For, oh, I don’t know, two years.
Folks who’ve been so kind to stop by WHL and spend a little time in my world. Friends-to-be who’ve left thoughtful comments. Family and friends-of-old who have sent words of encouragement. THANK YOU.
Mine might be the voice behind WHL, but you are the reason I’m here.
Phoebe Sinclair Writes 